Wisconsin's pension fund managers were given more than $8 million in bonuses as a reward for strong investment returns, nearly double what they received last year, according to records released to The Associated Press on Friday.

The board that oversees Wisconsin's pension program for public employees has rejected a request by the head of Gov. Scott Walker's semi-private economic development agency to tap $200 million from the fund to invest in risky startup businesses.

Poor record keeping, a lack of basic accounting controls and high staff turnover all contributed to problems in the first year of Wisconsin's premiere job-creation agency, according to an independent audit released Monday.

A Wisconsin judge refused Monday to put on hold his earlier decision repealing major parts of Gov. Scott Walker's law effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers.

Wisconsin added nearly 37,500 private sector jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, though total job growth was only 1.1 percent because of government job losses, according to data released Thursday by Gov. Scott Walker's administration.

A highly anticipated report ordered by Gov. Scott Walker recommended no changes to Wisconsin's $77 billion pension system.

Regardless of the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has vowed not to do anything until after the November election.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Monday that he would be willing to consider changes in the state's $77 billion pension system, with a report on expected to be released this week on how the system could be improved.